Methods of use of purified hydrogen peroxide gas in agricultural production, transport, and storage

Abstract

The present disclosure provides for, and includes, environments for the production, transport and storage of agricultural products including, but not limited to, fruits, vegetables, grains, tubers, decorative plants, flowers and mushrooms. The present disclosure also relates to methods of preparing environments for the preservation and production of agricultural products Also provided are organic agricultural products having reduced levels of microorganisms and residual organic compounds.

1 - 121 . (canceled) 
     
     
         122 . A method for inhibiting an ethylene response in an agricultural product comprising:
 providing dilute hydrogen peroxide (DHP) gas at a final concentration of up to 10.0 parts per million (ppm) to an enclosed environment containing said agricultural product; and
 maintaining said concentration of DHP gas in said enclosed environment for a period of time. 
   
     
     
         123 . The method of  claim 122 , wherein said inhibited ethylene response is selected from the group consisting of ripening, senescence, abscission, growth inhibition, growth stimulation, branching, tillering, seed development, flower development, seed germination, and breaking of seed dormancy. 
     
     
         124 . The method of  claim 123 , wherein said agricultural product is selected from the group consisting of roots, tubers, rhizomes, bulbs, corms, stems, branches, leaf stems, bracts, leaf sheaths, leaves, needles, blooms, buds, flowers, petals, fruits, seeds, and edible fungi. 
     
     
         125 . The method of  claim 124 , wherein said agricultural product is selected from the group consisting of achoccha, amaranth, angelica, anise, apple, arrowroot, arrugula, artichoke, globe, artichoke, jerusalem, asparagus, atemoya, avocado, balsam apple, balsam pear, bambara groundnut, bamboo, banana, plantains, barbados cherry, beans, beet, blackberry, blueberry, bok choy, boniato, broccoli, Chinese broccoli, raab broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bunch grape, burdock, cabbage, cabbage, sea-kale, swamp cabbage, calabaza, cantaloupes, muskmelons, capers, carambola (star fruit), cardoon, carrot, cassava, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, celtuce, chard, chaya, chayote, chicory, Chinese jujube, chives, chrysanthemum, chufa, cilantro, citron, coconut palm, collards, comfrey, corn salad, corn, cuban sweet potato, cucumber, cushcush, daikon, dandelion, dasheen, dill, eggplant, endive, eugenia, fennel, fig, galia muskmelon, garbanzo, garlic, gherkin, ginger, ginseng, gourds, grape, guar, guava, hanover salad, horseradish, huckleberry, ice plant, jaboticaba, jackfruit, jicama, jojoba, kale, kangkong, kohlrabi, leek, lentils, lettuce, longan, loquat, lovage, luffa gourd, lychee, macadamia, malanga, mamey sapote, mango, martynia, melon, casaba, melon, honeydew, momordica, muscadine grape, mushroom, muskmelons, mustard, mustard collard, naranjillo, nasturtium, nectarine, okra, onion, orach, oranges, papaya, paprika, parsley, parsley root, parsnip, passion fruit, peach, plum, peas, peanuts, pear, pecan, pepper, persimmon, pimiento, pineapple, pitaya, pokeweed, pomegranate, potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, purslane, radicchio, radish, rakkyo, rampion, raspberry, rhubarb, romaine lettuce, roselle, rutabaga, saffron, salsify, sapodilla, sarsaparilla, sassafrass, scorzonera, sea kale, seagrape, shallot, skirret, smallage, sorrel, soybeans, spinach, spondias, squash, strawberries, sugar apple, swamp cabbage, sweet basil, sweet corn, sweet potato, swiss chard, tomatillo, tomato, tree tomato, truffles, turnip, upland cress, water celery, waterchestnut, watercress, watermelon, yams, and zucchini. 
     
     
         126 . The method of  claim 122 , wherein said ethylene response is ripening. 
     
     
         127 . The method of  claim 122 , wherein said agricultural product is selected from the group consisting of an ornamental plant, flowering bulb, cut flower, edible potted plants, non-edible potted plants, and transplants. 
     
     
         128 . The method of  claim 122 , further comprising providing cyclopropene or a cyclopropene derivative as a solid, a gas, a solution, or a carrier composition. 
     
     
         129 . A method for protecting a fruit or vegetable comprising:
 providing dilute hydrogen peroxide (DHP) gas at a final concentration of up to 10.0 parts per million (ppm) to an enclosed environment; and   maintaining said DHP gas at a final concentration of up to 10.0 ppm in said enclosed environment,   wherein said protecting comprises converting ethylene gas produced by a fruit or vegetable into carbon dioxide and water before the ethylene gas can promote decay.   
     
     
         130 . The method of  claim 129 , wherein said protecting comprises:
 preventing or inhibiting contamination of said fruit or vegetable growing in said enclosed environment by a virus or bacterium;   preventing or inhibiting damage and losses due to parasitic fungi on said fruit or vegetable growing in said enclosed environment;   preventing or inhibiting damage and losses due to parasitic fungi on the nutrient bed in which said fruit or vegetable grows in said enclosed environment;   preventing or inhibiting contamination of said fruit or vegetable by a virus or bacterium by providing and maintaining said DHP gas at a final concentration of up to 10.0 parts per million (ppm) for a time period prior to introducing plants that produce said fruit or vegetable to said enclosed environment for growing;   preventing or inhibiting damage and losses due to parasitic fungi on said fruit or vegetable by providing and maintaining said DHP gas at a final concentration of up to 10.0 parts per million (ppm) for a time period prior to introducing said agricultural product to said enclosed environment for growing; or   preventing or inhibiting damage and losses due to parasitic fungi on the nutrient bed in which said plants that produce said fruit or vegetable by providing and maintaining said DHP gas at a final concentration of at least 0.05 parts per million (ppm) for a time period prior to introducing plants that produce said fruit or vegetable to said enclosed environment for growing.   
     
     
         131 . A method for preparing an air dried fruit vegetable, or herb, comprising:
 placing said fruit or vegetable in an enclosed environment having dilute hydrogen peroxide (DHP) gas at a concentration of up to 10 parts per million (ppm) and having a relative humidity (RH) of less than 65%;   maintaining said fruit or vegetable in said enclosed environment until the water content of said fruit, vegetable, or herb is reduced to a final moisture content of about 25% or less.   
     
     
         132 . The method of  claim 131 , wherein said RH is less than 50%. 
     
     
         133 . The method of  claim 131 , wherein the water content of said fruit, vegetable, or herb is reduced to a final moisture content of about 15% or less. 
     
     
         134 . The method of  claim 131 , wherein said fruit, vegetable, or herb is selected from the group consisting of green bean, broccoli, savoy cabbage, white cabbage, carrot, celery, cilantro, com, dill weed, garlic, kale, leek, mushroom, onion, parsley, peas, pepper, potato, pumpkin, shallot, spinach, squash, tomato, zucchini, apple, apricots, bananas, blueberries, cranberries, gooseberry, huckleberry, raspberry, black mulberry, strawberry, cherry, date, fig, grape, kiwi, kumquat, mango, nectarine, peach, papaya, pear, persimmon, pineapple, and plum.